William james noble



(No Model.)

W. J. NOBLE.

COFFIN FASTENER.

Patented Ja11. 31

N. PETERS. Phowlixnngrapher, wnsningmn. DT c.

IlNiTnn STATES PATENT Erica..

VILLIAM JAMES NOBLE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

COFFlN-FASTENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 377,325, dated January 31, 1888.

Application filed August 6, 1887. Serial No. 246,299. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, it may concern:

Beit known that I, VILLIAM JAMES NOBLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Locking Attachments for Burial-Gaskets, whereby the lid or top is easily and tightly secured to the body ofthe casket and removed therefrom with equal facility 5 and I do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of my invention,which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same.

My invention relates to fastenings for the lids of burial-Gaskets, comprising concealed catches on the' under side of the lid, which slide in horizontal grooves in the upper edge of the body; and it consists in the combinations of parts, hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure l is a plan view of the under side of the top of a casket, showing the projecting catches or male parts of the locking devices secured thereto and in such places as to insure the proper position of the lid in relation to the casket when in place. Fig. 2 is a similar plan view of the body of a casket, showing the corresponding sockets or female parts in position for engagement. Fig. 3 is a central longitudinal vertical section of a casket, showing the locking devices in engagement and the lid secured in place. Fig. 41s a longitudinal vertical section, on an enlarged scale, of the operative parts of my device in engagement. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the corresponding part of Fig. 4 and shows the locking device in connection with the hook proper, together with the elastic spring-plate in position and ready for attachment to the lid. Fig. 6 is a detail plan view of the body portion of the attachment provided with the downwardly-proj ecting hook and arecess for the admission of the locking-hook. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one of the locking-hooks provided with a projecting finger-piece. Fig. 8 is a detail view of the spring-plate.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

To the under side of the lid A of a casket, B, and adjacent to the edges, are attached projecting catches C C and D D in such a position as to fit into and engage sockets E E and F F in the body of the casket B, Fig. 2. The sockets E E and F Fare constructed with horizontal longitudinal grooves and respectively with a ledge, c e, and bridgeff, which are engaged by the catches C C and D D when the lid A is placed in position on the casket for closing the same. rlhe catch D is formed of a flat plate, D', rounded at the ends, and has a curved and tapering hook, d, at the under side and a recess, d2, in the top part, as shown in Fig. 6, said recess serving to receive the rounded-off rear end, h, of the locking-hook H, so as to form a hinge-joint therewith. The forward end ofthe hook H is provided with a curved and tapering edge, h, and a shoulder, h2, which bears against the end of bridge f, and with a laterally-proj ecting finger-pieceJL. Between the plate D and the wood of the casket is placed the spring K,which constantly exerts a downward pressure upon the hook I-I, insuring its engagement with the bridge f. The plate D and spring K are secured in place by screws s', passing through holes d of the plate D and corresponding holes of the spring K. It is obvious that the hook H might be pivoted in the socket d2 by means of a pin; but in unannealed vcast-iron the thin walls of the casting become so hard as to render drilling in them difficult and expensive, and I prefer the construction shown for its simplicity and inexpensiveness.

The operation of myinvention is as follows: The lid is placed on the casket in the usual manner by the operator, and in such a manner as to allow the hooks d of the catches D to fall into the forward ends of the longitudinal horizontal slots or grooves G. The lid is then pushed forward until the hooks of the catches D ride under and are secured by the bridgef, so as to bring the lid into close contact with the casket. Vheu the curved face of the hook H strikes the bridge f, it will be forced up and over them, and when the lid is in its proper position will fall or be forced by the springs K into engagement therewith,thus securely locking the lid in position and preventing its withdrawal until the hooks II are released. To effect the withdrawal of the lid, the operator will lift the finger-pieces h3 of the hooks H, so as to release them from the bridges f and permit the withdrawing of the lid.

ICO

I am aware that prior to myinvention casketfasteners have been used in which hooks having inclined backs and notched ends, or provided with .enlarged heads which enter into tapering sockets, consisting of` metal plates provided with declining grooves or slots, wide at one end and narrow at the other end, and

with flat or curved plate-springs provided with' notches to engage screw-heads or other proj ectionsor so arranged as to abut against the shoulders or recesses in the wood or metal,have been used, and such constructions I do not claim. l

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. `The combination of a casket-body, B,hav I ing'a socket, F, provided with a bridge, f, a lid, A, having a catch, D, and spring-pressed locking-hook H, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of a casket-body,l3,hav ing a socket, F, provided with a bridge, f, a

lid, A, having a catch, D, andaspring-pressed 

